Egypt, Transcontinental country in North Africa and Southwest Asia
Egypt is a transcontinental nation stretching across the northeastern part of Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Asia, covering roughly one million square kilometers. The Nile flows through the territory from south to north, creating a narrow river valley and a wide delta at the Mediterranean shore, with desert regions flanking the river corridor on both sides.
Pharaonic dynasties governed the region from around 3100 BCE and left behind monumental constructions along the Nile. Persian, Greek, and Roman powers controlled the area in turn before Islamic conquests in the seventh century introduced Arab influence, while Ottoman rule spanned the 16th to 19th centuries and independence in 1922 ended the British protectorate.
The name derives from the ancient Greek Aigyptos, which traces back to the Egyptian-Arabic word for the land along the Nile. Coptic Christians form the largest religious minority and celebrate their liturgy in a language that descends directly from the pharaonic tongue.
Cairo acts as the capital and main transport center with an international airport. The cooler months between November and March work best for travel, while visas are required for most visitors and can be arranged on arrival or beforehand online.
The Siwa Oasis sits 560 kilometers west of Cairo near the Libyan border and hosts a population with its own Berber language called Siwi. This remote settlement only became reachable by paved road starting in 1984, and traditional homes are built from kershef, a mix of salt and clay.
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Egypt holds many archaeological sites extending far beyond the pyramids of Giza. From the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur to the rock temples of Speos Artemidos, these locations reveal Egyptian architecture across different periods. The collection includes desert fortresses, Roman quarries, prehistoric...
Great Pyramid of Giza
453.3 km
Egyptian pyramids
452.4 km
The Great Sphinx
453.1 km
Mount Sinai
530.2 km
Giza Pyramids
453.1 km
Valley of the Kings
338.5 km
Memphis
445.9 km
Thebes
339.7 km
Giza Necropolis
453.7 km
Karnak Temple Complex
344.5 km
Aswan Dam
444 km
Pyramid of Djoser
445.8 km
Siwa Oasis
494.2 km
Saint Catherine Monastery
531.1 km
Temples of Abu Simbel
497.3 km
Blue Hole
581.1 km
Pyramid of Khafre
452.9 km
Egyptian Museum
464.3 km
Al-Azhar Mosque
465.3 km
Grand Egyptian Museum
454.2 km
Baron Empain Palace
472.2 km
Pyramid of Menkaure
452.4 km
Luxor Temple
343 km
Narmer Palette
464.3 km
Amarna
225.8 km
Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut
339 km
Bent Pyramid
437.4 km
Abydos
264.9 km
Alexandria Governorate
Aswan Governorate
Asyut Governorate
Beheira Governorate
Beni Suef Governorate
Cairo Governorate
Dakahlia Governorate
Damietta Governorate
Faiyum Governorate
Gharbia Governorate
Giza Governorate
Ismailia Governorate
Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate
Matruh Governorate
Minya Governorate
Monufia Governorate
New Valley Governorate
North Sinai Governorate
Port Said Governorate
Qalyubia Governorate
Qena Governorate
Red Sea Governorate
Sharqia Governorate
Sohag Governorate
South Sinai Governorate
Suez Governorate
Luxor Governorate
Helwan Governorate
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